Locking device for milk bottles



Oct. 5, 1937. w. H. BAUM ET AL.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR MILK BOTTLES Filed July 5, 1935 INVENTORS Patented Oct'. 5, 1937 LOCKING DEVICE FORlVHLK BOTTLES William H. Baum and Hedwig Baum, New York, N. Y.

Application Jilly 5, 1935, Serial No. 29,890

3 Claims.

Our invention relates to locking devices for milk bottles and particularly to that type that is automatically opened, upon opening an inward opening entrance door, and is secured to the outside door jamb of such a door at the hinge end of same.

The object is to produce an inexpensive and practical device to secure milk bottles deposited on the outside of a door from being moved or 101 removed by unauthorized persons.

,Our locking device is unique and unlike others of the kind, in that it is simple, practical and inconspicuous and relies on the introduction into a combination catch, of a loop extension of a metal wire ring that surrounds the neck of av milk bottle, said ring being smaller than the mouth of the bottle, and interlocking with a metal hookattached to the door jamb, holds the bottle secure, plumb and tight to the door jamb. It is automatically unlocked when an authorized person opens the door. The locking device does not restrict the clear door opening but very slightly.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter and, while we have shown and will describe the preferred form of our invention, we wish it to be understood that various changes and adaptations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the claims appended.

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part hereof:

Figure 1 is a plan section of our locking device looking downwards. drawing, represents a milk bottle. The capital B, represents a part plan of an entrance door. The capital C, represents a part plan of a door jamb. Dotted lines for the door indicate a slightly opened position of the door marked Bl. The large circle indicates the outside circumference of a milk bottle.

Figure 2 is an elevation looking toward the door jamb; C. It also shows the end of the catch and the door section.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the catch looking at the door, B, and shows a section thru the hook on the jamb, C.

Figure 4 is a sectional view thru the catch on 50 a door and hook, showing the extension of an openable metal ring around the neck of a milk bottle as in locked position. The hook and spring in the catch are shown in section.

Figure 5 is a closed ring around the neck of 55 a milk bottle with an extension.

The capital A, on the The detailed description and the manner of using our invention follows:

The milkman, delivering milk to homes and to apartments, customarily leaves the milk at the door where frequently it is removed or dis- 5 turbed by unauthorized persons.

,With the use of our invention, and now referring to the drawings, he introduces loop (numeral I), which is an extension of a ring around the neck of a milk bottle, into aperture 2 of spring catch 3 on door B and snaps the loop thru spring 3 onto metal hook 4 attached to jamb C. The loop holding the milk bottle is now on the hook and cannot be removed, because the end of spring 3 and the end of hook 4 are arranged in contiguity andin such functional relationship that in case the ring or loop is moved back, it cannot again pass thru, the spring snap, but into the spring which is strong enough to hold the ring securely fast. 20

When door B is opened, as shown by the dash line Bl in Figure 1, the catch on the door holding spring 3 is moved away from the hook 4 and the ring or loop holding the milk bottle may simply be removed, achieving automatic opening of the locking device.

The device is located behind abottle standing on the floor in a corner, and this renders it extremely difiicult for any unauthorized persons to successfully throw or depress the spring 3 in the catch with any ordinary tools or implements, or to unscrew any part of the device. An offset or angle hook is used by authorized persons to open the look if necessary, to remove a milk bottle when the door is in closed position. 7

A solid welded ring with a loop extension, with one quarter turn, is the type of ring for holding a milk bottle for ordinary use. The metal used is about inch, tempered wire. If lighter material is used a tightener 5 Fig. 5 is used. It consists of a metal band easily cut with a kitchen knife to remove the ring from a bottle. This band with grooves is pressed over slight deformations on the ring to prevent moving by hand.

To secure extra bottles or other packages such as butter, cheese, eggs etc., onto the locking device, these are looped or cleated, onto the ring around a milk bottle in the locking device.

As a modification, Fig. 4 shows an openable type ring. Closing is accomplished'by pressing together a lapped and penetrating joint-connection. To open, this connection must be pressed inward. One end of the wire is deformed into a semicircle conforming to the size of the wire and a hole is penetrated into this deformed section to receive the hook-formed end of the other end of the loop. This is shown in the drawing at' numeral 1. I a a When this type of ring or loop'is used in the locking device, Fig. 4, the milk bottle cannot be twisted ofi of the hook nor can the ring be opened, as its positionon the hook prevents it from being opened inwardly.

If this type of an 'openable ring 1, Fig.4, is

used in connection with a welded ring in the locking device, a flap such as shown; at 5 Fig. 5,

is pressed over the openable connection Ito prevent the same from being opened by unauthorized persons.

The rings around bottles are usually prepared beforehand at the dairy plants so that little time is lost in delivering milk and-placingsame into 3 "the locking device.

A' loop', having the same form as that. on a milk bottle ring; may also beused in the locking device for'holding and securing such other packages as butter, eggs, cheese, milk in containers, etc., without it, necessarily, holding a milk bottle;

1 Having described our "invention, the manner of using same and shown the constituent'factors',

arrangementof its members,-ifunctionally-related in a novel mode, what we claim is? ,1. A locking device of the character herein de,

scribed, comprising a metal hook attached tothe is in a closed position,rslo that'a metal ring or loop,'hol ding a milk bottle, may be passed'between the overlapping free ends of said'hook and said spring, onto said hook on the jamb and 7 thereby hold a milk bottle in locked position while said door si closed.

2. A locking device of the character herein der scribed, adapted to co-operate with a wire ring on the neck of a bottle or the like; said ring being provided with a tightening band where the loop is turned, to tighten the ring around a milk bottle it'holds, said loop being formed to pass between the free end of a spring attached to the outside of an inwardly opening door, and the free end of aahook on the jamb of said door, onto said hook,

thefree end of said springpartially overlappingand normally pressing against the free end of said hook when the door is in. a closed position and thereby hold a milk bottle in locked position while said door is closed.

3. In a'locki'ng device of the character herein' described the combination of a spring mounted on the outside of the hinged endioi aninwardly opening door, a hood for partially covering the spring leaving the free end thereof exposed, a g

metal hook mounted on the jamb:of said door, the free end of said springpartially overlapping and normally pressing against the free end of said hook when said door is in'closed position, said hook being adapted to receive a ring or loop secured tofa bottle or the like, said ring or loop;

having been passed between the free ends of said spring and hook and ,onto thehook while vthe door is in closed position, said ring or loop thus being locked on the hook, 'said' hook and spring structure also beingadapted to automatically release said ring. or loop from the hook by movement of the free end of thespring away from= the free end of the hook when said dooris opened.

WILLIAM BAUM.

' V HEDWIGJBAUM. 

